Fuel adapted for use in internal-combustion engines



MILTON C. WRITER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 U. S. INDUSTRIAL ALCOHOL (30., A. CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, MIIJION C. WHIT- AKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the .countypf New York and State of New York, have invented a certaln new and useful Improvement in Fuels Adapted for Use in Internal-Combusternal combustion engines, as. for exampleaeroplane motors.

Another object of my invention is to.

provide a fuel containing an alcohol and a hydrocarbon, the same being blended by the presence of an ester,preferably a volatile ester as for example ethyl acetate.

Another object of my invention is to provide a motor fuel having such a large per centage of a very volatile constituent as to render the operation of aeroplane motors using the same entirely'certain, even at the highest altitudes reached by aeroplanesj A further object of my invention is to provide a fuel that will not freeze, and the constituents of which Will not separate out at any atmospheric temperature, so that aeroplanes maybe driven therewith at any desired altitude and at any desired longitude of the earth "without afiecting the fuel adversely. Still a further object of my invention is to provide fuels of the above character containing alcohol and a petroleum hydrocarbon blended by the use of benzol.

Further objects of my invention will appear from the detailed description thereof contained hereinafter.

While my invention is capable of being carried out in different Wa s, for the purpose of illustration I shal describe only certain ways of carrying out the same herein.

For example, a fuel made in accordance with my invention may be comprised ofparts by volume of ethyl alcohol,

40 parts by volume of ethyl acetate.

Specification of Letters Patent.

The percentages of the above constituents may vary to some extent, if desired. For example, the alcohol may vary from 50% to anyhigher percentage but preferably not.

amounting to %,and the ethyl acetate may vary from any percentage above 20% Patented July 1 8, 1922. Application filed November 12, 1919; Serial 1%. 337,398.

up to 50%, although I have obtained the best results by the specific composition above given.

The ethyl alcohol in the above composition may be ordinary alcohol having a strength of 95%, but, preferably, I use alcohol substantially free from water, that is to say having a strength of 98% or higher, or absolute alcohol, that is alcohol havmga strengthof at least 99%.

As another example of my invention, I may provide a fuel comprised of 45 parts by volume of ethyl alcohol,

35 arts'by volume of gasoline havin a speci c gravity of from 52 B. to 66 20 parts by volume of ethyl acetate.

The percentages of the above constituents may vary tosome extent, if desired.

For example, the ethyl alcohol may vary from-30 to 60%, the gasoline may vary I from 25 to 50%, and the ethyl acetate may vary from 10 to 25%, although I have obtained the best results by the specificcomposition above given.

Again another example of'my invention may be a fuel comprised of- 25 parts by volume of ethyl alcohol, 25 parts by volume of kerosene,

25 parts by volume of gasoline,

11 partsby volume of ethyl acetate.

It is to. be understood, also, that, instead ofthe gasoline and kerosene referred to in the above example, I may use merely gasoline.

As another example, I may make a fuel containing- 40 parts by volume of ethyl alcohol,

30 parts by volume of benzol,

30 parts by volume of gasoline or naphtha having a specific gravity of from 52 to 66 B.,'

5 parts. by volume of ethyl acetate.

The percentages of the above constituents may vary to some extent, if desired. For

example, the alcohol may vary from 40 to sults by the specific composition above given.

By the use of the ethyl acetate in this composition I avoid the necessity of using alco hol having a greater strength than 95%, as the ethyl acetate itself will prevent the benzol from crystallizing out at very low temperatures.

Instead of the benzol, furthermore, I may use toluol.

Further examples of my invention may be fuels containing the following constituents, the characteristics of which are that they contain hydrocarbons and alcohol, as well as an ester, but will not freeze or separate out under atmospheric temperatures:

d parts by volume of ethyl alcohol,

28 parts by volume of gasoline,

17 parts by volume of benzol,

7 .5 to 10 parts by volume of ethyl acetate,

8 parts by volume of toluol.

Another example is the following:

parts by volume of ethyl alcohol,

20 parts by volume of gasoline,

15 parts by volume ofkerosene,

35 parts by volume of methyl-ethyl-ketone,

5 parts by volume of ethyl acetate.

Another example is:

15 parts by volume of benzol,

&0 parts by volume of alcohol,

parts by volume of gasoline,

15 parts by volume of ethyl acetate.

Compositions of the above character will notfreeze Within the range of the usual atmospheric temperatures, as for example, a temperature as low as minus 50 F, nor even down to aftemperature of minus 60 F. By

atmospheric temperatures I mean temper atures down to minus 50 F.

The toluol is especially advantageous in preventing the freezing of such compositions and particularly where benzol is used as the blending agent.

In all the above compositions any desired alcohol may be used, such for example as methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol. butyl alcohol, etc..'but I prefer to use ethyl alcohol, and the number of parts thereof in the above compositions may vary to a considerabe extent. The alcohol used in any of the above compositions may be ordinary alcohol having a strength of 95%, but I may use an alcohol having a greater strength, which may even be absolute alcohol. Instead of the ethyl acetate, I may use any one of a. number of other esters, as for example methyl butyrate,ethyl butyrate, methyl acetate, butyl acetate or amyl acetate, all of which are volatile esters or still other esters could be used as for example, castor oil.

Also, the proportion of the ester presentmay vary to a considerable extent. Furthermore, instead of the gasoline other hydrocarbons may beused,- and the range of the proportions of the same in the above compositions may vary to a considerable extent. Different blending agents may be used which are of such a character as to blend the above constituents, but which will also not produce a composition that would freeze at atmospheric temperatures.

While I have described my invention above in detail, I wish it to be understood that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. A; fuel comprising an alcohol above 20 parts by volume, benzol 17 to parts, gasoline 20 to 50 parts, and ethyl acetate 5 to 20 parts.

2. A fuel comprising an alcohol above 20 parts by volume, benzol 17 to 35 parts, gasoline 20 to 50 parts, ethyl acetate 5 to 20 parts, and toluol.

3. A fuel comprising ethyl alcohol parts by volume, gasoline 28 parts, benzol 17 parts, ethyl acetate 7% to 10 parts, and toluol 8 parts. i

4. A fuel comprising-an alcohol above 20 parts by volume, gasoline 20 to parts,

and ethyl acetate 5 to 20 parts.

5. A fuel comprising an alcohol above 20 parts by volume, gasoline 20 to 50 parts, ethyl acetate 5 to 20 parts, and toluol.

6. A fuel comprising an alcohol above 20 partsby volume, an aromatic hydrocarbon 17 to 35 parts, a petroleum. distillate '20 to 50 parts, and an ester 5 to 20 parts.

7. A fuel comprising ethyl alcohol above 20 parts by volume, an aromatichydrocarbon 17 to 35 parts. gasoline 20 to 50 parts, and an ester 5 to 20 parts.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of November, 1919.

MILTON t. WHITAKER. 

